National Radio Midday Report

Lundy Murders – Breast Screening – Pepper Spray – Pilots Flying – Teacher Pay – Business Confidence – Feed Shortages – Hoer Frost – Flu – Defence Shield – Kyoto Protocol – Train Trouble – Murder Investigation – Australian Manhunt

LUNDY MURDERS: A Palmerston North pathologist has detailed the extent of fatal wounds sustained by Christine and Amber Lundy, at the depositions hearings at the Palmerston North District Court for Christine’s husband and Amber’s father Mark, who is accused of murdering his family.

BREAST SCREENING: A new report shows fewer Maori and Pacific Island women are taking advantage of the National Breast Cancer Screening Programme.

PEPPER SPRAY: Hamilton Police are investigating claims made in the media by neighbours that officers used excessive force to subdue a mentally ill man, who has died in hospital two days after police used pepper spray to subdue him.

PILOTS FLYING: All eight air force jet pilots grounded earlier this month because of concerns about job stress have returned to the air.

TEACHER PAY: The secondary teachers union may ask for a mediator to step in as their pay talks with the Government have stalled after four months of negotiation.

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE: Businesses are more optimistic about the future and most intend raising prices in the next three months, the Institute of Economic Research’s June quarterly Business Opinion survey shows.

FEED SHORTAGES: Feed shortages for livestock are looming as the major concern as the effects of hard frosts begin to bite around the country.

HOER FROST: A predicted reprieve from the hoer frost for Alexandra has not happened today, with locals beginning to get fed up with the effects of sub-zero temperatures.

FLU: The winter outbreak of influenza is diminishing in the North Island after hitting the eastern Bay of Plenty hard, but there are indications the flu is heading south.

DEFENCE SHIELD: The United States Defence Secretary says the Pentagon will conduct 20 missile interception tests over the next five years, following the test a few days ago.

KYOTO PROTOCOL: Government Ministers and scientists have gathered in Bonn, Germany, to try to salvage the Kyoto Protocol agreement on climate change.

TRAIN TROUBLE: A Wellington to Porirua commuter train has been taken out of service after all its doors opened inside a tunnel. None of the fifty passengers were hurt. Tranz Rail is investigating.

MURDER INVESTIGATION: Police say hundreds of items have been sent for forensic testing around the area where a body was found in a Waikato hydro lake.

AUSTRALIAN MANHUNT: In Australia, an extensive land and air search is continuing for a man wanted for the suspected abduction and killing of a British tourist.

© Scoop Media